


need for proximity

by housey164



Category: Original Work
Genre: Bookstores, F/M, Fluff, Kissing, Original work - Freeform, Short Story, small town
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:29:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26332669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/housey164/pseuds/housey164
Summary: Camii has spent her last few year in her boyfriends home town, waiting for his job to bring him back to her.I’m rly bad at summaries and this is my first story i’m really sorry. Please read it :)
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 3
Kudos: 3





	need for proximity

"I’m sorry,” she mumbled as she rushed to unlock the bookstore, effectively weaving her way through a crowd of people also on their way to work. Thirty minutes before her shift officially started but still wanting to be early enough as to not piss off her arse of a boss. 

Anyone who decided that they were above his rules ended up stuck in the back of the store, stocking shelves, sorting through inventory, and helping the seemingly always understaffed coffee shop. 

But Camii Shawns wanted to work cash today, see the bright smiles on the adorable children's faces as the local elementary school brought their grade three classes in to pick out a book for each of them. It was a yearly occurrence and while many of the workers at ‘StoryTellers’, Turner Valley’s most visited bookstore, hated to assist and check out the overly energetic pack of eight-year-olds, Camii loved it. 

Over the past three years that she had been living in her fiancé's home town, it was today that made the constant waiting bearable. And while Camii still enjoyed the lifestyle and atmosphere of the small town, the seemingly endless waiting for Lukas was slowly turning Camii insane. She missed her beloved dearly and was not so patiently waiting for when he would come home to her. 

Hanging up her coat in the backroom, Camii punched in and headed out to Christopher’s office, hoping that checking in with him and letting her presence be known would guarantee her spot on register number 2. 

Reaching the end of the hallway, Camii stuck her head into the room on the left and smiling brightly when she saw her boss’ son, Kit, carefully examining order forms for their next shipment of books. 

As the only bookstore for kilometres, many people in the surrounding towns came to ‘StoryTellers’ to purchase books for themselves or as gifts. It was one of the only reasons Camii agreed to move here, as her love of reading and the stories that great authors' words could take her on was the highlight of her spare time. 

“Hey Kit,” Camii smirked as her sudden entrance seemed to startle a half-asleep Kit, who was sitting in his father's chair. “Just wanted to pop in and let your dad know I was here early. I’m gonna pop out front, and get everything ready for today but let me know if you need anything,” Blinking a few times and wiping his eyes, Kit nodded and returned her smile, his usually bright silver eyes taking on the appearance of slate grey. 

“Coolio MiMi. I’ll let him know that you desperately don’t want to be put on cash and that he should keep you in the back all day,” he said, looking up innocently at her. 

Sly little brat, Camii thought frowning back at Kit, but with no malice in her deep blue eyes. It was no secret to anyone how much Camii delighted in helping the school children that came in every year, least of all Kit. He always teased her about it though, claiming that it was her way of making up for the fact that while Lukas was away, she didn’t have any family out here. 

Fresh out of her third year of university, Camii had met a kind yet cunning Lukas Victon in her favourite coffee shop, a tiny, independently owned shop in the heart of Edmonton. Once acquainted, it had only taken a few months for the two of them to fall deeply in love. Camii adored Lukas' small-town roots and though raised as a city brat, she could see the appeal of raising children and building a life in a much smaller place. 

But that was before Lukas was contacted by a big European company claiming to need his help in setting up the technological aspect of their new location in Southern Spain. Camii had wanted to follow her love, but as she was still finishing up her last year of school, studying to become a teacher, Lukas convinced her to finish her last year in freezing Edmonton while he went off to sunny Spain. 

“Enough with the nickname Kit or I’ll be forced to call you Kitty Litter again,” Camii snarked softly, regaining focus on the present. Kit rolled his eyes and reminded her that while she was technically his superior, his father still owned the store.

Acknowledging the thinly veiled threat for what it was, a healthy banter between friends, Camii walked past the door that leads upstairs to the flats where Kit and his father lived and to the front of the store to check on the display of third grade level reading material set up by Camii herself last night.

She wanted it to be perfect and had included a variety of books on topics. Her display, which took up two display tables included all sorts of books from fantasy novels about dragons and knights, to sportsbooks about hockey and basketball players, to nonfiction books about animals, weather, and history. Camii also included smaller sections of books whose difficulties were both more and less difficult than those of the average grade three students. 

While Kit and Missy, one of the other store employees, teased Camii for her extensive yet impressive display, Christopher, the store’s owner, had thanked Camii for her hard work and dedication to making sure all of the students had a wonderful experience. 

Inspecting the tables, Camii decided to change out of the books about snakes for one about puppies, deciding that while some children would love the idea of learning more about the legless creatures, more than one of them was likely to either scream or burst into tears at the sight of one on the cover of a book. 

Smiling to herself, Camii let her thoughts drift back to Lukas as she picked up the copies of the reptile book and walked to the back corner of the store to switch them out. Despite the thousands of kilometres between the couple, their relationship had not suffered. Not, at least until Camii had finished her degree and Lukas had come home, just to find out that he was wanted for another job in Italy. Camii was ecstatic and Lukas was so glad to have his beautiful girlfriend to accompany him, as they had both been extremely lonely while being separated the year prior. 

But like all things in life, nothing was perfect. Camii’s grandmother got fiercely sick and was expected to pass away in the next month or two, and although she wanted to leave to be with the man whom she was completely in love with, she couldn’t leave her family when they needed her so badly.

It was a cold day in November when her grandmother passed away and Camii’s family broke apart. Her father and his two siblings couldn’t get along, leaving a dead mother and nothing but disagreements and frustration in its wake. Lukas understood, of course, not wanting to force Camii to move across the world after losing someone, especially after hearing about the turmoil which followed her passing. 

Checking the clock quickly after placing the puppy books in the display, Camii walked to the registers and unlocked them and briefly inspected them, making sure that it looked as if the correct amount of float was inside. She then walked to the front of the store and unlocked the door. Being a Tuesday morning, the store wasn’t likely to be busy until 9:30 when the children would come running through the doors eager to get their hands on their special book. 

Camii smiled to herself and sat behind the register, pulling out a copy of the newest novel by her favourite author as she heard Kit walk in from the left, cursing as he tripped on the slight lip from the staff area into the main area of the bookstore. He was working in the coffee shop that morning as Elissa was running late like always. Camii smirked to herself trying to remember when, if ever Elissa had been less than 15 minutes late, let alone on time. Relaxing behind the counter, Camii returned to her book but was having trouble focusing. The constant sense of longing and the need for proximity seemed to be at the forefront of her brain that morning. 

The next time the couple saw each other was two days before Christmas of that same year, Lukas taking Camii to his hometown, wanting to show her the place where he had grown up. While he had no family remaining in Turners Valley, Lukas claimed that the town held a special place in his heart and if he could that he would want to move back and raise his own family there. 

It hadn’t taken more than two hours exploring and meeting people in the town for Camii to fall in love. And while she wasn’t quite sold on living in a small town for the rest of her life, she was willing to settle down and start her life with Lukas in Turner Valley. 

Soon after visiting Turner Valley, Lukas had inquired about buying a house there as well as asked Camii what she thought about putting her name in for a position at the local elementary and junior high schools. While the junior high explained to her that they simply couldn’t afford to keep her on staff and wouldn’t be able to for a few years, the elementary school called her back and assured her that they had a grade 6 teacher that would most likely retire at the end of that year if not then certainly at the end of the next. 

Delighted with the news, Camii had accepted the position and planned to move into her and Lukas’ new home in September. The couple were happy as Lukas’ assignment was meant to finish at the end of July, giving the couple enough time to move in and become acquainted before the beginning of the school year. That had been three years ago before Lukas’ job in Italy had been extended thrice. 

But that had been three years ago before Lukas’ job in Italy had been extended thrice and the teacher whom Camii was supposed to take over for still hadn’t retired. Lukas kept in constant correspondence with her and never made her feel as if she was truly alone. 

It had only been in the last eighteen months where Camii had started to feel a sense of loneliness set in. Lukas had been home for a month and the couple had spent every waking moment together. It had been a wonderful month for the two of them, which increased tenfold when Lukas surprised Camii by proposing to her while on a day trip to Calgary. Lukas had decided it was the right time as his current assignment was finished and he wanted nothing more than to just spend a few years in their house with his future wife. Despite being exhausting and frustrating work, his job had paid spectacularly and in Euros. That money alone could last the couple a few years while they settled. 

Hearing the bell, Camii set her book down and smiled at Mrs. Hixton, the middle-aged bibliophile who lives three doors down from Camii. It's become a weekly occurrence for Mrs. Hixton to drop by StoryTellers at the beginning of the week to purchase a novel for herself and a storybook for her daughter whom she homeschools. 

Offering her a kind smile and wave, Camii speed walks to the coffee shop and hopes that Kit made her the tea she usually makes herself if she is working at the coffee shop in the morning. 

As she rounds the corner, Camii notices the school bus has pulled up across the street. She squeals and hurries to grab her tea from the counter where Kit has it waiting and runs back to the register. She hears Mrs. Hixton laugh softly at her excitement but says nothing. As the students exit the bus and walk across the street towards the bookstore, Camii takes a sip of her earl grey tea, with honey, not sugar, and smiles as the third grade teachers open the doors to StoryTellers. 

Immediately, Camii can tell the kids who love to read from those who simply attend the field trip because they have to. A little girl with strawberry blonde hair darts towards the fairy tales while a boy with the same hair, her brother Camii assumes, walks after her with an exasperated look on his face. While watching the siblings, she lets herself think of what her children will look like. Lukas has told her on many occasions that he hopes that their kids get Camii’s dark brown hair with either his hazel or her blue eyes. But when Camii imagines them, she sees a little boy who looks like her, dark hair but with Lukas’ hazel eyes, and a girl with Camii's blue eyes but Lukas’ strawberry blonde hair. Camii watched the rest of the kids walk around the store and let her mind drift to thoughts of her fiancée once more. 

Lukas was due to arrive home at the end of the month, but not having spoken to him in three days, Camii was sure that it meant that he would likely be kept in Italy for another couple months. Or years. Even as her heart ached, Camii kept in high spirits as Ms. Kassen, a grade five teacher, had announced her retirement at the last staff meeting and Camii was called immediately and asked to take the position. 

Though currently only mid-March, Camii was ecstatic when she learned about her new and confirmed position. She would miss her job at the bookstore but knew that Kit would likely still ask her to cover his shift if he was in Calgary late the night before. 

“Miss? Could I please get this book?” the little girl with strawberry blonde hair asked. She looked up at Camii with such wonder in her eyes that Camii’s heart almost burst. Looking at the title, she smirked to herself. The book was about a pair of twins that ran away to fairytale land. It was quite advanced for third grade, but Camii was sure that even if it was too difficult for the girl to read now, that she would love the book when she was able to read it. 

“Of course you can, sweetie,” Camii answered as she scanned it. “That book is the first one in a series, so if you like it come back with your mum and dad and I can help you pick out the next one.” When she handed the book back to the girl, her brother, who Camii noticed was holding a book about famous hockey players, rolled his eyes and gently nudged his sister out of the way. 

“Sorry about Leah, she’s a bit of a nerd when it comes to fairy tales. May I get this book please, miss?” Leah’s brother asked. Camii smiled at him and reassured him that it was no problem and that she was a bit of a fairy tale nerd too. “Thanks for the book. I’m Nikolai by the way. We’ll be back as soon as she finishes that first book I think,” Nikolai tells Camii as he walks away from the counter with a distracted Leah, who has already started to scan the pages of her new novel. 

For the next hour, Camii scans a variety of books that the third grade classes have picked out. With every child, Camii attempts to have a short conversation, sometimes about the books they’ve picked out, other times the kids ask about Camii, where she grew up, does she like her job. One of the final kids though asks her a question she wasn’t anticipating.

“When is your boyfriend coming home?” a little boy who introduced himself as Jack asks her. Taken aback, Camii misses the bell for the store ringing and the familiar face that walks in. 

“I don’t know Jack. He might be home at the end of the month —”

“Or he might have told his employers that he wants to be home with his beautiful fiancée,” she hears a voice behind Jack say. Camii’s eyes immediately snap up and meet the warm hazel eyes that she misses every day. Lukas, having just arrived home from Italy, looks a little worn out, wearing jeans and a light grey dress shirt, strawberry blond hair all messed up, sticking out in every direction. 

Camii brings a hand to her face, eyes immediately filling with tears. Lukas smiles at her and hurries forwards, desperate to pull his fiancée into his arms. While the rest of the people in the store stare at Camii who has started to cry, Camii can feel her heart beat faster as Lukas gathers her into his arms for the first time in months. 

Wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her nose at the junction of his neck and shoulder, she begins to babble about how much she missed him. 

Holding onto her and lightly stroking her hair, Lukas mutters reassurances that he isn’t going away again for a long time. They stand there for two or three minutes before Christopher, the owner of StoryTellers, pats Camii on the shoulder. Looking up for the first time since she buried herself in Lukas’ arms, Camii turns her tear-stained eyes towards her boss. 

“Chris—”

“Camii, feel free to take the rest of the week off. Lukas called in when he landed in Calgary and told me that he was coming in. Missy will be here in a few, and I can take over until then,” he says, smiling warmly at her. All the staff at StoryTellers know how difficult it has been for Camii with Lukas gone, not knowing when he’ll return.

“Thank you, Christopher,” Lukas said, knowing that Camii was so overwhelmed with emotions that she just needed to be taken home. Camii nodded and gave Christopher a quick peck on the cheek before all but launching herself back at Lukas. 

As they walk out the front door, Camii hears Kit shout something about protection, which makes her laugh and hold onto Lukas harder. She can only hope and pray that this is real and not a dream because if it is, she never wants to wake up. As she sits in his car, Camii looks at her fiancé for the first time. Really looks at him. And she smiles, so bright and happy that when Lukas looks back at her, he gently cups her cheek and brings her face to his. At the last second before their lips touch, they lock eyes.

“I missed you so much,” Lukas whispers before he brings their lips together. Camii’s eyes are filled with tears all over again as her lips move along Lukas’. The kiss grew in intensity and Lukas licked along the seam of Camii’s lips, as his other hand grabbed her hip and squeezed. Inhaling harshly, Camii felt Lukas’s tongue enter her mouth and begin to re-familiarize itself with the inside of her mouth. Moaning softly, she sucks on his tongue and moves her hands to his shoulder, digging her nails in the lean muscle she felt under her fingers. 

Their tongues dance together, eyes half-lidded until Camii sees all the third graders standing outside the bookstore, watching her and Lukas makeout. She abruptly tried to pull away but Lukas sunk his teeth into her bottom lip before she could. Licking her bottom lip again, Lukas attempted to try and move down to her neck when he saw the panicked look in Camii’s eyes. 

“What is it Cam?” he asked calmly, trying to keep the anxiety out of his voice. It had been over three months since he had been able to come home and visit with Camii, but he didn’t think his kissing skills had suffered that much. Snapping out of it, Camii met Lukas’ eyes and gave him a half-smile, the panic fading to embarrassment.

“Luk. We umm, have an audience,” Camii whispered as if she was trying to keep it a secret that over 40 third graders had just seen him all but grope his fiancée. Turning backwards and seeing the kids lined up outside the bookstore, he felt his cheeks heat. One boy even gave him a thumbs up. Lukas laughed at that and waved, before shifting back into his seat and turning the key in the ignition. He looked over at a still frazzled Camii and took her hand. Bringing her knuckles to his lips, he gave them a swift kiss before turning the key and setting off towards their house.

“Luk, I was just wondering, and don’t get me wrong I’m beyond thrilled that you're back,” Camii started, trying to sort out the thoughts that were flying through her head at a rapid speed.

“But why am I home?” Lukas finished for her, reaching for her hand again. “My boss called me into his office a few days ago and explained that they had a new project in the works in North America. So of course I asked where. Turns out that they are building a new headquarters in Calgary and need the same tech network setup as they did in Madrid and Rome,” his eyes left the road briefly and looked at Camii who’s eyes were wide, anticipating Lukas’s next words.

“And, because this headquarters would service all the branches in North America, he told me that the project would take between six and eight years to complete. I told him that I would love the job and he offered me the contract right there. I start this January,” he finished just as they pulled into the driveway. Camii squeezes his hand tightly and looks at Lukas’ face for any sign that he’s leading her on, although she doubts that this is something that he would joke about. Upon looking at his face, she doesn’t see anything that would lead her to believe that he isn’t serious. 

“Luk,” Camii starts but is cut off when a sob escapes her lips. Putting the car in park and turning off the ignition, Lukas turned to Camii and placed a feather-light kiss on her nose. He then kissed her chin, both of her cheeks, her eyelids, which were overflowing with tears, and finally her lips. He then leaned back enough to meet Camii’s eyes. Staring at each other, hazel eyes meeting blue, Lukas smiled.

“I’ll be home Cam. Home for the days when you’ll be tired after work, coming home just to mark some tests or projects. Home for the days when James or Sara from your class do something that makes you want to tear your hair out. I’ll be home all the time for the next nine months. Hell, by December you might be so sick of me that you’ll be begging me to go back to Europe,” Lukas joked but Camii smacked his arm, shaking her head as her tears continued to fall. Camii was sure that she could never be sick of her fiancé after having been away from him for so long. Climbing out of the car, Camii rushed over to Lukas’ door, desperate to just have him hold her. Lukas, sensing this, got out of the car just in time to wrap Camii in a giant hug. 

Crying into his shoulder, Camii muttered about how much she had missed him and how excited she was for him to be back home. Lukas stood there, calmly cooing to his emotional fiancée, running his hands through her hair. 

After a few minutes of that Camii took a step back, dried her eyes on her shirt and grabbed Lukas’ hand. She dragged him up the stairs to the front door of her house — their house — and unlocked the door, all the while doing so one handed. Lukas stood beside her, running his thumb over her knuckles both trying to soothe her and remind himself that he was truly home. Camii struggles with getting the keys into the lock and upon dropping the keys a third time, dropped Lukas’ hand quickly, opening the door in record time before snatching his hand again. 

They took their shoes off and settled down on the couch, both instinctively knowing that the other just needed to be held. It was almost an hour later when Camii broke the silence, asking if Lukas wanted anything to eat or drink after his long flight. He shook his head but asked if Camii would be willing to lay down with him as he was beginning to tire after his long day and a half of travel. 

Camii agreed and the couple walked up the stairs to their bedroom. Laying down on the right side of the bed, Lukas waited for Camii to lay down, then pulled her back against his chest, spooning her to try and fill the ever-growing hole in his chest. 

Feeling similarly, Camii leaned into Lukas, the hole in her own chest slowly starting to heal over while being wrapped in her fiancé’s arms. 

“Goodnight Cam,” Lukas whispered, already half asleep despite it being just past noon. 

“Night, Luk,” Camii whispered back, feeling sleepy herself. Camii smiled lazily while basking in the warmth behind her, finally feeling that need for proximity settle.

**Author's Note:**

> Awww thank you for reading this! I called it my quarantine passion project and was really happy how it turned out. 
> 
> Please comment and leave kudos ❤️


End file.
